Annette Frommer: Tips How to choose furniture to suit your living room character

 

The living space in your home is probably the most important space. That is why it is called the ‘living room’; it is the place where most likely you spend most of your awake time and the place where you entertain your guests. As such, you want your guests to feel comfortable and at home, but you also want the space to be a sort of extension of who you are. 

 

For these reasons, the furniture you choose for your living room is extremely important in terms of comfort and visual appeal. Many factors need to be considered such as the size of the furnishings, their quality, their cost, and more. Do you want a theme to your space, do you envision a specific color palette, do you want your living room to exude elegance, or do you want a more informal look?  Are the kitchen and dining areas open to the living room? All these parameters need to be considered.

 
Here are a few pointers to help you plan the furnishings within your space.

 

1.    Before choosing the furniture you need to measure the space. How large or small is it? A floor plan is crucial so that you can see the various options available to fit in the furniture and to efficiently use all the available space without cluttering it. And remember: if the space is small then large furniture will obstruct and will look way too dominating, while small pieces of furniture will look lost and insignificant.

 

2.    After you have measured the dimensions of your space draw up a floor plan.  Think and envision how space will be used. Is it for daily use or only for entertaining guests? Will you be watching television in your living room? Try drawing out the furnishings you wish to purchase and take into account space around them. 

 

 

3.    Stage the space. Mark out on the floor where you would place the furnishings. Is there an old piece of furniture, or a family heirloom that you wish to incorporate? This is the time to try and figure out where and how to place it.

 

I always recommend using an interior designer, even if the job is small. An interior the designer will be able to create a computerized floor plan that will enable you to see exactly how space will look with various types, sizes, and even colors of furniture.

You can see in this picture the kitchen, the dining room and the living room, as well as other rooms in the apartment.

 

It  is essential to understand the proportions

of the furniture in relation to space

 

(Plan by Annette Frommer Interior Design)

Before setting out to shop for your dream furniture it is so important to define what the look that you are searching for is or in other words, which is the style of décor that you want to create. There is a wide range of interior styles that are out there, there and here are a few of the most popular ones.

 

For a modern look, you want furniture with clean and sleek lines. The color palette will usually consist of neutral tones such as beiges, whites, and creams. And using metal and glass is a great way to evoke modern glamour.  

A traditional look is more formal Furniture is usually in rich wood. It is comfortable and cozy and often includes detailed millwork, carved moldings, and the use of heavily textured fabrics.  

 (Photo: Gilad Radat)

 

A traditional living space with dark stained wood, intricate wood milling, and an elegant bar. Note the details of the scatter pillows, the pop of burgundy among the more neutral colors

A contemporary style is both classic and of-the-moment. It includes many styles such as modern, traditional, and maybe even art deco. Contemporary changes as times change. Today the style includes curved lines, neutral colors, and certain minimalism. Who knows what contemporary will be like in 5 years’ time!

 

Once you decide on the style, you should start with purchasing the basics – that is a  sofa, armchair, coffee table, and side tables. These are your anchors – from here on you continue with the design of the living room based on these.

 

Complementary pieces are those that fit in and build on the basics. Choose them wisely.  To make a good living room look great is to add accent pieces.  These add personality, character, and that touch of something else.  With an elegant curio cabinet, a beautiful wine bar, gorgeous scatter pillows, a decorative planter with an exquisite plant,  a stunning vase with fresh-cut flowers, a statement armchair, etc… the possibilities are endless. Note that adding pops of color adds so much to the energy of a space.

Elegant standing lamp and arc chair

(Photo: Oded Smadar)

Keeping in mind that all the items need to be smoothly pulled together to create a harmonious space  will help you to properly furnish your living room space.